Prairie du Chien

Prairie du Chien

Prairie du Chien is located in southwest Wisconsin along the Great River Road, which winds for 250 miles along the banks of the Mississippi River. This National Scenic Byway is known for its breathtaking views of geological formations lining the riverbanks and adjacent bluffs. It is also were the Wisconsin River meets the mighty Mississippi, which you can see from several overlooks in the area. This area is also known for its rich history, with records dating back to the 17th century. Many of these historic sites have been preserved and are open to the public for visitation. The city oldest community on the upper Mississippi.

Villa Louis Carriage Classic

September 7 @ 9:00 am - September 9 @ 4:00 pm

Midwest’s most elegant and lavishly appointed equine sport driving event. Some of the region’s finest horses and over 100 new and restored carriages compete in a variety of arena and cross-country events.

Details

Organizer: Carriage Classic Committee

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Venue

Villa Louis

521 N Villa Louis RoadPrairie du Chien,WI53821United States

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Midwest’s most elegant and lavishly appointed equine sport driving event. Some of the region’s finest horses and over 100 new and restored carriages compete in a variety of arena and cross-country events.

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In 1908, Prairie du Chien had a volunteer fire department, as it does today! Pete Gokey was a member of that fire department, but his full time profession was painting. Pete and his brother-in-law, Jack St. Jacque, were in the painting business in a big way. They painted houses, inside and out, painted business buildings, decorated churches (as far away as Janesville, WI), and Pete also painted signs. They even had a paint store, located on the east side of North Beaumont Road, adjacent to the alleyway at that point.

Fort Crawford played a strong role in the development of the American frontier. Its significance rose from its location. Fort Crawford stood at the intersection of two of North America’s greatest water routes. The Mississippi River and its tributaries offered early travelers routes south to the Gulf of Mexico or west to the Rocky Mountains. The Wisconsin River, which joins the Mississippi south of Fort Crawford, provided the critical connection to the east. It brought travelers from the Fox River and the Great Lakes, providing a connection with New York, Quebec, or the Atlantic Ocean. During an era when most long journeys were by boat, France, Britain, and the United States vied to control the strategic intersection of waterways at Prairie du Chien. Fort Crawford, built in 1816, finally solidified American control of the region.

The mounds preserved here are considered sacred by many Americans, especially the Monument’s 12 affiliated American Indian tribes. A visit offers opportunities to contemplate the meanings of the mounds and the people who built them. The 200 plus American Indian mounds are located in one of the most picturesque sections of the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

Hercules Louis Dousman (1800 – 1868) acquired a large fortune through his various enterprises as a fur trader, lumberman, land speculator and frontier entrepreneur. In the mid-1840s the Dousman family began developing an estate on the banks of the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien that would evolve into Villa Louis.

The Villa Louis Carriage Classic is a pleasure driving show held on the beautiful grounds of the Villa Louis Historic Site in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. This show hosts some of the finest carriage driving competition the Midwest has to offer, with over

Come and explore the Mississippi River as you never have before, from the decks of our Mississippi Explorer riverboats. Our cruises are centered around the amazing diversity and ecology that the Upper Mississippi Nat’l Wildlife and Fish Refuge offers. We take our passengers off the beaten track of the river’s main-channel and into the backwaters of the Mississippi – much like a relaxing drive down a scenic country road!

At Wyalusing State Park, camp 500 feet above the confluence Locationof the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. One of Wisconsin’s oldest state parks, Wyalusing features family and group camps, hiking trails, a canoe trail, Native American burial mounds, bird watching, fishing, boating, bicycling, and picnicking near several scenic overlooks of the river valleys below.

Prairie du Chien is located in southwest Wisconsin along the Great River Road, which winds for 250 miles along the banks of the Mississippi River. This National Scenic Byway is known for its breathtaking views of geological formations lining the riverbanks and adjacent bluffs. It is also were the Wisconsin River meets the mighty Mississippi, which you can see from several overlooks in the area. This area is also known for its rich history, with records dating back to the 17th century. Many of these historic sites have been preserved and are open to the public for visitation. The city oldest community on the upper Mississippi.

Come and experience and enjoy the quite natural beauty and the peaceful sounds and view the abundant wildlife. This back to nature adventure is great for all ages young and old and will be remembered for a lifetime. Plan an overnight camping trip and camp on one of the sandbars located along the Wisconsin River, or for the adventurous, a several day trip for a vacation of a lifetime.